Documents
Germany Heckler & Koch
VP9
A polymer-framed, striker-fired service pistol developed as HK's modern competitor to the Glock 17, featuring an interchangeable backstrap-and-sideplate grip system. It has been adopted by several European police forces and is popular in competitive and civilian markets.
In service since 2014 · 10 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
50
m range
375
m/s
17
rds
💲 ≈ $720 — Approximate retail price
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
German export-licensed
BAFA licensing with strict end-use review; approvals can be politically constrained.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Established · 10 operators
In service since 2014. Status: active · ~500,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Effective range
Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope.
- 50 m Stronger than 50% of pistols
- Muzzle velocity
Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.
- 375 m/s Stronger than 69% of pistols
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 9×19 mm Parabellum
- Caliber
Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.
- 9 mm
- Ammunition
Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.
- 17 Stronger than 86% of pistols
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 0.19 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 1 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 1
- Barrel length
Barrel length — longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling.
- 106 mm
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $720 Stronger than 21% of pistols
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 500,000 Stronger than 36% of pistols
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 10 Stronger than 31% of pistols
Specifications compiled from public Heckler & Koch and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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See how it stacks up
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How many crew does the Heckler & Koch VP9 require? +
The Heckler & Koch VP9 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Heckler & Koch VP9? +
The Heckler & Koch VP9's primary weapon is the 9×19 mm Parabellum.
What is the Heckler & Koch VP9 used for? +
The Heckler & Koch VP9 is a pistol & sidearm typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the Heckler & Koch VP9? +
The Heckler & Koch VP9 is operated by 10 countries.
How much does the Heckler & Koch VP9 cost? +
The Heckler & Koch VP9 has an approximate unit cost of 720 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
